As I type, I am preparing for a remote meeting that starts in less than an hour. I have several things swirling in my mind right now.
- I have to write this blog.
- I have to get a contract reformatted and sent out.
- I need to message my kid to see if they received the package I sent to their college.
- I must fill out the requested information from a customer’s procurement department.
The list could go on.
And here’s the temptation. When I click into this meeting, I will be tempted to keep one of these items open on a second screen and work on it during the meeting.
Why do I know that is the temptation?
Because I face it every single day, and most days, honestly, I give in.
If I could travel back in time to when I had in-person meetings, it would have been unthinkable to bring my laptop and stack of papers into the meeting and keep working on other stuff.
Now, it seems pretty commonplace.
As I mentioned last week, remote leadership (and all leadership, really) still runs on the fuel of connection. Working on other stuff while in remote meetings kills connection, destroys team unity, and ultimately reduces productivity.
Here are a few thoughts to help you connect better during remote meetings.
- Stop lying to yourself.
You can’t think about two things at one time. You can’t.
You can switch back and forth. And that switching back and forth is tiring to your brain.
So don’t think you can attend a meeting and pay attention while doing something else.
- Act like you’re walking into a conference room when you log on to a remote meeting.
If necessary, turn off your second screen, put your phone on silent and out of sight, and place all other non-meeting papers out of sight.
- Look at the screen.
Every evening, my eyes are tired from looking at the screen, even with blue-light glasses. When you get that five-minute warning before the meeting starts, take a break and don’t look at the screen so you are ready to focus.
- Remind yourself that the people on the other side of the screen are in fact people.
Sometimes, the screen makes us forget they are real people with feelings. Bring your full empathetic attention to a meeting. People will appreciate it.
Okay, my meeting is about to start. I better run. My eyes need a break, and these people are going to need my attention!
